David McDonald

Strategy Symposium 2026: Shared stories and futures - Museums Galleries Scotland From sector resilience and political discussion to anti-oppression and climate action, our Advocacy Manager David McDonald shares the key takeaways from the panels and workshops held at Scotland's Mus...

Rounding off the week witha blog on the stories of #StrategySymposium2026 from the behind the scenes work that keeps museums going, to stories told through exhibitions, each reminds us that museums are places where new stories are created every day www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/blog-article...

Conversations like these feed into our advocacy work at @museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk

helping demonstrate how museums care for both their collections and communities across the country.

Add your voice to the campaign here
museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/election2026 #MuseumsMatter

Yesterdays Museums & Galleries Strategy Symposium was such a valuable day of learning & making connections. Thanks to all who attended especially our panel of politicans

@clareadamsonmsp.bsky.social

@neilbibby.bsky.social

@jhalcrojohnston.bsky.social

@patrickharvie.bsky.social

We've been on the road, from a snow covered @thescottishcrannog.bsky.social to a calm Kelvingrove filming for our election campaign

From volunteer run spaces to national collections, museums support learning, wellbeing & local pride

Thanks to those who shared their stories. More soon 🎬🏛

100 days to go until the Scottish Parliament election.

Museums Galleries Scotland has launched our national advocacy campaign, giving voice and visibility to Scotland’s 455 museums

Find out more and get involved here
museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/election2026/

Proud to share, after a lot of work, the election advocacy campaign for Scotland’s 455 museums & galleries.

Museums share Scotland’s stories & help shape our future. Visit the campaign website to find out more and show your support museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/election2026/

#MuseumsMatter 🏛🗳

We have a few tickets left for our Burns Night Concert at the Castle.

Get your for a bargain £6.50 for night of live music and community spirit.

📅31 Jan
🕚18:00
🎟 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/choruses-c...

A wintery work visit to the Scottish Crannog Centre ahead of their reopening at the end of the month. An extraordinary place that opens a window onto our ancient past, while being a vital community asset, employer & place of opportunity.

Add it to your plans for a visit this year

Busy couple of days at the @cosla.gov.uk conference talking about “The Future of Localism”

Great conversations about Scotland’s 455 museums, including 127 civic museums, & the vital role they play in our communities supporting learning, wellbeing & boosting local pride and connection.

Amazing to be part of the geophysical survey with @crookston.bsky.social, the first full study of the site, supported by @castlestudies.bsky.social

Exciting to think we might be uncovering some of the city's history hidden deep beneath the soil.

@archscot.bsky.social @digitscotland.bsky.social

Great day with the @museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk team for our away day at the Stirling Smith Art Gallery & Museum. Glad to finally see the their display of items linked to R. B. Cunninghame Graham. He’s long been a hero of mine, living an extraordinary life as a writer, politician & adventurer.

Glasgow turns 850 this year, thanks to William the Lion who granted burgh status in 1175 and set the foundations for the vibrant city we know today. I stopped by his burial site in the ruins of Arbroath Abbey. Next time you head off for the Glasgow Fair, remember it began with his seal of approval.

Lovely to end the week with a visit to Montrose Museum for a preview of Perspectives: Collecting the World, funded by Museums Galleries Scotland.

It confronts colonial legacies, giving voice to silenced stories and encouraging us to reflect, learn, and imagine a fairer future.

Definitely picked the perfect time to start my new role at MGS.

Today the First Minister @johnswinney.bsky.social launched Museum Futures, a £4m fund to support innovation, leadership & sustainability across Scotland’s museums.

Find out more here www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/museum-futur...

Great to meet so many new colleagues from across the museums sector at today’s @museumsassociation.org meeting at the @hunterianglasgow.bsky.social

Plenty of thoughtful conversations and a real sense of shared purpose.

Took part in today's @crookston.bsky.social community clean up.

We had a great turnout of local neighbours, families & our volunteers… all mucking in together to look after a place that means a lot to us and that improves the Castle for everyone who visits.

Singin' in the rain ☔️🎶

We had a brilliant afternoon at the Castle with the Voice Project Community and Youth Choirs, who didn’t let the weather dampen their enthusiasm. They sang their hearts out lifting our spirits.

Thank you to everyone who turned up, umbrellas and all.

Delighted to have joined @museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk as Senior Advocacy and Public Affairs Manager.

It’s a real privilege to be back working to champion the value of museums and galleries

Helping tell their stories, celebrate their impact and supporting the sector to thrive.

Thanks to all who joined our AGM; celebrating a year of projects, partnerships, & pride in our local history

If you'd like to get involved our next events are

🎶 Choirs at the Castle, 22 June
eventbrite.co.uk/e/choirs-at-th…

🧹 Community Clean Up, 28 June https://www.facebook.com/share/19SZLhw1WA/

Thanks to everyone who joined us last night to celebrate Scotland’s European connections.

There’s still time to join the Cross-Party Group on Europe ahead of our AGM next month.

If you care about Scotland’s place in Europe, sign up here
euromovescotland.org.uk/cross-party-...

Huge thanks to everyone who gave up a sunny weekend to join us at the @euromovescotland.bsky.social conference at the @festivalofeurope.bsky.social

A weekend of big ideas & commitment to Scotland’s place in Europe; powered by the people who show up, speak out & keep this movement going forward.

Congratulations to the @festivalofeurope.bsky.social team for curating such a thoughtful & wide ranging programme; from migration to music the speakers challenged and inspired us to bring hope, humanity, and honesty back into our European conversations.

#FestivalofEuropeScotland2025

Amazing discussions taking place Saturday/Sunday at the @festivalofeurope.bsky.social featuring @stephengethins.bsky.social
@tanjabueltmann.net
@sophiepornschlegel.bsky.social @alynsmith.bsky.social
@angusrobertson.bsky.social
@clareadamsonmsp.bsky.social

🎟 festivalofeuropescotland.org/whats-on/

Join us on May 10th for a conference exploring: what can be achieved in improving relations between the EU & Scotland/UK?

With @sandrogozi.bsky.social MEP, Prof @cbarnard.bsky.social @stephengethins.bsky.social MP
& @clareadamsonmsp.bsky.social MSP

Tickets 👇
eventbrite.co.uk/e/what-can-be-…

@support.bsky.team how can I get a response from your support team? I've sent emails without a reply. I need to talk about an account that I'm lock out of. Thanks

As a young councillor, I was lucky to have Christina as both a constituent & a constant source of support & encouragement. She had a rare gift for lifting people up, offering guidance with warmth & a fierce belief in doing what was right.

My deepest condolences to her family.

These results show that Europe is moving forward with confidence while we risk falling behind due to Brexit.

We need to be more European in our action & outlook @euromovescotland.bsky.social
can help make that happen.

Join us & be part of shaping our 🇪🇺 future euromovescotland.org.uk/join-us/

If you missed it you can catch up with the latest euromovescotland.bsky.social webinar that I orginised on defending democracy with alexhh.bsky.social and the europarl.europa.eu Rapporteur on Ukraine michaelgahler.bsky.social here
youtu.be/Oy414sTFCCQ?...

Historians Historians are optimistic the ancient Darnley Sycamore, which has links to Mary Queen of Scots, can be saved.

Darnley tree update 🌳

The City Council are assessing the health of the tree to determine next steps in the meantime they are taking cuttings to be propagated at the Botanic Gardens.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Happy #BurnsNight

I came across this bust in Tallinn a few years ago, a reminder of Burns global influence & the values he championed.

For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s comin yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man the warld o’er
Shall brithers be for a’ that.

#BurnsNight2025